Garrett signs with Carolina Panthers

By: Toni Walker

Editor

news@steelcountrybee.com

From being a three-time Texas State Champion, to being the leading receiver in all of college football is where Keyarris Garrett’s football career has gone. No, he is set to take the next step, pending the outcome of the National Football League’s annual draft.

Garrett, a graduate of Daingerfield High School, played for Coach Barry Bowman on the Tiger’s football teams that won three consecutive State Championships in 2008, 2009, and 2010. After his graduation from Daingerfield, Garrett attended Tulsa University on a football scholarship.

After leading his team in passes caught, yards, and touchdowns during his sophomore season of 2013, Garrett suffered what could have been a career ending injury two games into his junior season. Not many would be able to return from a compound fracture of both bones in the lower leg, but Garrett set out to prove doubters wrong. “That leg injury was really the first time in my career that I had been hurt, and I had a hard time afterwards,” said Garrett. At times, by his own admission, he did think it would be too hard to come back from the injury. But, “God blessed me with talent, and I didn’t want it to go to waste,” said Garrett.

Garrett became known for his hands, especially during his senior season at Tulsa. His ability to snag balls from the air seemed too natural, but Garrett admitted that he actually struggled in junior high catching the ball. “I struggled in junior high, so I have had to work at it a lot,” said Garrett. While at Daingerfield, it was nothing for coaches to have to run Garrett and his quarterback, Tyler Boyd, off the field after practice, as they were working on routes, passing, and chemistry.

At Tulsa, the work on his hands continued. Garrett set up a Jugs machine in the bowels of the stadium, where he would routinely catch discarded tennis balls thrown by the machine. Garrett would catch sometimes 300 to 400 tennis balls per day, working to make his hands great. This preparation and dedication led to Garrett becoming the leading receiver in the nation for the 2015 season.

In his return from the leg injury, Garrett was determined to return to form, and make himself more visible for the upcoming draft. “I was more hungry. I got healthy, and I wanted to show what I could do,” said Garrett in regards to his return from injury. During that comeback season, Garrett had a 14-catch game, despite the Golden Hurricanes coming up short against Oklahoma. “People say a knock on me is that I did not go attend a big school. But, my biggest games, especially in my senior season, were against big-school opponents,” said Garrett.

Garrett, with a small gathering of family and close friends, watched the NFL draft in Tulsa, while the rest of Daingerfield watched ESPN or the internet for news of where Garrett would end up. Seven rounds later, Garrett remained undrafted, and the calls began. Garrett ended up signing with the Carolina Panthers, where he will be one of league Most Valuable Player Cam Newton’s targets for the upcoming season.

“I want kids to know that, just because they come from a small town, that does not mean that they can‘t live out their dreams,” said Garrett.